Structural assemblies

ABSTRACT

Metal floor assembly comprising at least two units interengaging along side edge portions which overlap and have between their overlapped portions a removable sealing strip.

Uniitmi 911mm Patent lnvemoi' Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priority STREJCWJRAL ASSEMBLIES 2 mailman. 3 lfiiwwing Figs.

LLS. C1 52/588, 52/394, 52/595 1111. (C11 1304c 11/30 Field of Swu'ch 52/588, 595, 519, 522, 528, 529, 542, 394, 403;94/13. 17

References Cited UNlT ED STATES PATENTS 3/1933 Joy 299/21 2,251,672 8/1941 Friberg 94/24 2.833,186 5/1958 Dobell 94/8 X 2.852.991 9/1958 Dobell .4 94/22 X 2,910,921 11/1959 Freyssinel, 94/8 3,437,017 4/1969 Walz A 94/8 1,729,632 10/1929 Stone 52/595 2,786,556 3/1957 Constant 52/588 2,923,384 2/1960 Black 52/588 3,157,965 11/1964 Watson 52/529 X 3,229,438 1/1966 Fiagan 52/588 3,253,377 5/1966 Schakel 52/595 3,324,617 6/1967 Knight m 211. 52/588 X Primary Examiner-Pfice C. Faw, Jr. A!l0mey--Stevens, Davis, Miller and ivilosher ABSTRACT: Metal floor assembly comprising at ieast two units interengaging along side edge portions which overlap and have between tha-ir overlapped portions a removahle seal ing strip.

PATENTEU JUL 6 I97! SHEET 1 [IF 2 INVENTDR cynu. a. WEBB HTTDRNEyS STRUCTURAL ASSEMBLIES The present invention concerns structural assemblies and units therefor.

In commercial vehicles and freight containers it is known for the walls ceilings and floors of the load-carrying portion of the vehicle to be constructed from a plurality of individual interlocking units.

According to one aspect of the present invention there are provided, for a structural floor assembly or the like, two units which are adapted to interengage along adjacent side edge portions which overlap one another when engaged and are adapted to receive between their overlapped portions 21 sealing member which, when the units are interengaged, is compressed and lies adjacent the edge of the uppermost side edge portion.

According to another aspect of the invention there are provided, for a structural assembly, two units which are adapted to interengage along adjacent side edges, the side edge of one unit being formed with a laterally extending base flange above which is arranged a projection which extends laterally from an upstanding portion bf said one unit, the side edge of the other unit being formed with a tongue which is adapted to overlie the base flange of said one unit when the two units are interengaged and which has an upwardly projecting edge portion which when the two units are interengaged lies closely adjacent the projection of said one unit, said projection and said projecting portion of said tongue being adapted to receive between them a sealing member and compress the sealing member when the two units are interengaged.

The projection of said one unit is preferably arranged near the base of said upstanding portion and defines a downwardly facing groove or channel for receiving the tongue of said other unit when the units are interengaged.

The tongue of said other unit is preferably adapted to receive a strip of sealing material, and for this purpose the upwardly projecting edge portion of the tongue may be formed with a groove, the projection of said one unit providing an abutment surface against which when the two units are interengaged the sealing strip is engaged.

It is also preferred that the base flange of said one unit is formed with an upwardly projecting portion which is spaced laterally from the base of said upstanding portion, the arrangement being such that in order to interengage the two units it is necessary to rotate the units relatively to one another to enable the tongue to obtain its interengaged position.

In one embodiment of the invention the tongue extends laterally from the base of said other unit, whereas in another embodiment of the invention the tongue extends laterally from an upstandingportion of said other unit at a position above the base thereof.

The tongue preferably overlies closely substantially the entire upper surface of the flange in the interlocked position of the units.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a structural assembly comprising two units as defined above, and a strip of sealing material arranged between the projecting portion of the tongue and said laterally extending projection of said one unit, the sealing strip being in a compressed condition and preventing moisture and dirt from passing between the units.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of two units forming one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view of one of the units shown in FIG. I; and 1 FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified unit.

In FIG. 1 there are shown interlocked longitudinal edge portions of two floor units 40 and 41 which are made from extruded aluminum alloy. Each unit comprises a base portion 42 from which extends upwardly a plurality of parallel and longitudinally arranged ribs 43 (only a fraction of one rib of each floor unit is shown in the drawing).

The two units are arranged to interlock and are shown in the drawing in their interlocked position. It will be seen that the longitudinal edge of the unit ill is formed with a longitudinal base flange M which extends laterally by a distance approximately equal to the distance between the adjacent longitudinal edge ribs 43 of the two units W and all.

immediately above the flange 44 but near the base of the unit is a downwardly depending projection or lip 45 which extends laterally from the edge rib d3 of the unit 10 at a position intermediate the height of the rib and in the same general direction as the flange M, thereby forming a rounded channel 46. (The channel as may alternatively be of square or vee" cross section). On its downwardly and inwardly facing surface the lip 45 is formed longitudinally with a plurality of "vee" section grooves producing serrations 417.

Closely overlying the entire top surface of the flange 44 is a tongue iii which extends laterally outwardly from the longitudinal edge of the adjacent unit ill. The tongue 48 is located above the base of the unit -li by a distance sufficient to permit the lowermost surfaces of the underside of the flange 44 to lie in the same plane as the underside of the base portion 42 of the unit 421 when the two units are in their interlocked position. A longitudinal edge portion d9 of the tongue 48 is of increased thickness relatively to the remainder of the tongue and forms a bead 50 which is seated on a shallow channel 51 formed in the base flange 44. The edge: portion $9 is also bent upwardly and in that surface which faces upwardly and towards the edge rib 43 of the unit 41 there is formed a longitudinally extending C-section recess 52 which is arranged to accommodate and hold a length of suitable strip material 53 which when the units are interlocked forms a seal for prevent ing ingress or egress of liquids and gases.

Bounding the outer longitudinal edge of the shallow channel 511 is a shoulder 54 which when the units are being interlocked acts as a fulcrum. Moreover, this shoulder 54 separates the remaining outer longitudinal edge portion 55 of the flange 44 from the undersurface of that portion of the tongue 48 which overlies the edge portion 55. The edge portion 55 is also formed with a Vee-groove 56 to facilitate drilling holes for fixing bolts or screws (not shown).

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the entire unit 40. It will be seen that the unit 40 comprises five ribs 43 which are formed with load bearing top portions 58 which with the ribs 43 form a T" section.

FIG. 3 shows a unit -1-3 similar to the: unit 40 in FIG. 2, but provided with four ribs 4-3. Again each rib is formed with a load bearing top portion 55. The unit 43 is also different from the unit 4-0 in that the tongue 48' extends initially from the base of the unit and not from a position above the base of the unit. The base flange 44 on the other side of the unit is also modified to cooperate with the modified tongue 48'.

The particular cross-sectional shape of the recess 52 and of the strip material 53 may be varied to suit different requirements. 7

The invention is not restricted to structural assemblies which serve as flooring, but is applicable to many structures for example ceilings, walls or partitions.

What I claim is:

l. A structural assembly for forming a load supporting structure and comprising a plurality of elongated extruded aluminum units, each said unit comprising a base portion and a plurality of parallel, longitudinally extending, laterally spaced ribs having coplanar lateral flanges on their free standing ends, a longitudinal base flange extending from one edge of each said unit a distance approximately equal to the spacing between said ribs, a downwardly depending projection extending laterally form the edge rib adjacent said base flange and spaced above said edge flange, a tongue extending laterally outwardly from the other lateral edge of said unit above the base thereof a distance at least equal to the thickness of said base flange, an edge portion of said tongue having an increased thickness, an upwardly directed slot in said edge portion resilient sealing material filling said slot and extending upwardly therefrom towards said projection whereby to maintain said projection and said tongue spaced apart, and fulcrum means on said base flange acting against said tongue to bias 

1. A structural assembly for forming a load supporting structure and comprising a plurality of elongated extruded aluminum units, each said unit comprising a base portion and a plurality of parallel, longitudinally extending, laterally spaced ribs having coplanar lateral flanges on their free standing ends, a longitudinal base flange extending from one edge of each said unit a distance approximately equal to the spacing between said ribs, a downwardly depending projection extending laterally form the edge rib adjacent said base flange and spaced above said edge flange, a tongue extending laterally outwardly from the other lateral edge of said unit above the base thereof a distance at least equal to the thickness of said base flange, an edge portion of said tongue having an increased thickness, an upwardly directed slot in said edge portion resilient sealing material filling said slot and extending upwardly therefrom towards said projection whereby to maintain said projection and said tongue spaced apart, and fulcrum means on said base flange acting against said tongue to bias said sealing material into sealing engagement with said projection in the assembled condition of said units.
 2. Two units as claimed in claim 1, in which the recess is formed in the edge part of said tongue and the projecting part of said one unit has serrations which press against said sealing member. 